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October 12, 2016

How to Take an Instagram Flatlay

If you scroll through my Instagram feed then you know that I love a good flatlay. Instagram flatlays are one of my favorite pictures to take for many reasons. For one I don't need to bother anyone else to take them for me, and two I love tetris and putting together a flatlay is like fashion tetris for me!

After a ton of trial and error I have put together a list of tips on how to master the perfect flatlay for you Instagram feed. Let's dive right now, shall we?

The Basics

Let's start off with the basics. Now a days most smart phones can take excellent photos and all you really need is some great lighting. Natural light works best and I usually find a large window to take my flatlays in front of.

For flatlays it's best to shoot in a "bird's eye view" and usually have to stand on a chair to achieve this look. It may look strange, but hey #doitfortheinsta right? Also, quick tip, I read from Erica from Coming up Roses to make sure you wipe your camera before you take your pictures to prevent them from getting blurry. SO simple, but so overlooked!

Keep Things Balanced

Here's where the tetris side of things come into place (yay!). A balanced photo is more aesthetically pleasing. Play around with what fits where and try to find little things to fill in empty space to make the whole picture look aesthetically pleasing. Balance larger things with smaller items and overall the photo will looks more pleasing on the eye!

Use a variety of different backgrounds

Switch things up and get creative with your backgrounds. For backgrounds I have a white poster board (get one from the Dollar store and you won't regret it!) and experiment with a variety of different things in my apartment.

In the flatlay above I used a patterned t-shirt as a background. You don't need to go out and purchase a whole bunch of props and backgrounds. Take a look into your closet for some pieces you can use for backgrounds such as scarfs, sheets, patterned tops, etc.

Experiment with different textures

Going off of using different backgrounds, experiment with different textures as well. I have a white fur rug that I love using for different backgrounds. Try experimenting with wooden floors, rugs, etc.

Use a common color scheme

Back to making things pleasing to the eye. When picking out pieces for your flatlay, try to choose items that go together. The photo will appear more cohesive and look better as a whole.

Try different angles

I had mentioned that I like using bird's eye view best for photos, but occasionally I like to mix things up and experiment with different angles. This can also add to the variety of photos you post on Instagram and let you have more of an interesting theme.

Well, there you have it! You have some of my favorite tips and tricks on how to master the Instagram flatlay! Do you have any go to tricks that I may have forgotten? Let me know in the comments down below! Also be sure to follow me on Instagram to see all my latest flatlays!

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Pastel N Pink is part of an affiliate advertising program. This means that if you click on a link on Pastel N Pink, I may make money off of it. All images on Pastel N Pink are original and copyright of the blog owner unless otherwise identified. Permission must be requested before use of any content on Pastel N Pink. All opinions are my own.